Cancer is one of the degenerative diseases. Cancer is characterized primarily by an increase in the number of abnormal cells derived from a given normal tissue, invasion of adjacent tissues by these abnormal cells, or lymphatic or blood-borne spread of malignant cells to regional lymph nodes and to distant sites (metastasis). Clinical data and molecular biologic studies indicate that cancer is a multistep process that begins with minor preneoplastic changes, which may under certain conditions progress to neoplasia. The neoplastic lesion may evolve clonally and develop an increasing capacity for invasion, growth, metastasis, and heterogeneity, especially under conditions in which the neoplastic cells escape the host's immune surveillance. There is an enormous variety of cancers which are described in detail in the medical literature. Examples include cancer of the lung, colon, rectum, prostate, breast, brain, and intestine.
The art is replete with various compositions and methods for treating cancer. One of such compositions is disclosed in US Patent Application Publication Number US 2014/0219961A1 to Jung et al. entitled “Pharmaceutical composition for treating cancer, comprising interferon alpha conjugate”. The US Patent Application Publication Number US20140219961A1 to Jung et al., teaches a method for preventing or treating a cancer includes administering an anti-cancer pharmaceutical composition including an interferon alpha or a polymer conjugate thereof. The pharmaceutical composition can be co-administered with anti-cancer agents. The interferon alpha conjugate shows a longer in vivo half-life and a more excellent anti-cancer activity than the conventional interferon alpha, and in particular, its co-administration with an anti-cancer agent such as gemcitabine has synergistic inhibitory effects on cancer cell growth and proliferation so as to exhibit a remarkably excellent anti-cancer activity.
Another prior art reference, namely U.S. Pat. No. 8,846,630 to Won et al. entitled “Pharmaceutical composition for treating cancer”. It discloses a pharmaceutical composition for treating cancer, comprising at least one selected from deoxyribonucleic acids (DNA) for encoding small interfering RNA (siRNA) which complementarily binds to the base sequence of the transcript (mRNA transcript) of the FLJ25416 gene, represented by sequence number 3, sequence number 5, and sequence number 7 to inhibit the intracellular expression of the FLJ25416 gene, antisense RNA which inhibits expression of the FLJ25416 gene, and short hairpin RNA (shRNA) which inhibits expression of the FLJ25416 gene. As the siRNA, which is complementary to the base sequence of the transcript (mRNA transcript) of the FLJ25416 gene, the antisense RNA, and the shRNA, according to the present invention, inhibit expression of the FLJ25416 gene which is known to be expressed in cancer cells, and thus kill cancer cells, the composition of the present invention can be used as a novel anti-cancer agent.
In addition to cancer, other chronic and degenerative diseases have become primary cause of mortality. Neoplasms, ischemic heart disease, and cerebrovascular disease cause three-quarters of all deaths at 35-69 years of age and two-thirds at older ages. Huge resources are committed to the reduction of mortality from leading killers. There is no doubt that eventually dramatic results will follow in this direction.
The problem is that most of the degenerative pathologies such as heart disease, cancer and Alzheimer disease are age related, and those at first glance are not considered being results of a specific tissue “local” aging. Therefore as best formulated by George Johnson/NY Times Jan. 4, 2014/“ . . . barring an elixir for immortality, a body will come to a point where it has outwitted every peril life has thrown at it. And for each added year, more mutations will have accumulated. If the heart holds out, then waiting at the end will be cancer.” As long as aging is not addressed properly, we can only hope for partially successful treatments that only pushing problem a little bit further in time, still failing to avoid final negative outcome.
When dealing with infectious diseases, the cause is clear. In case of degenerative diseases, there is much less clarity. Over the last hundred years, the focus of research was moving along the line “organ-tissue-cell-molecule/protein” providing precious data needed to crate new medicine. Yet in most cases, we have to evaluate success in terms of statistical outcome in treating not the cause but syndromes of disease. To change the current trend, we need a solution that provides a resistance to bacterial and virus attacks and should be able to repair damage from critical mutations on molecular level. Regenerate/renew “defective” tissue damaged by chronic degenerative disease. Prevent transformation of adult stem cells into cancer stem cells. Transform cancer cells into benign tissue cells or harmless stem-like cells. Prevent health deterioration in time on structural level and by increasing efficiency of immune system.
The current paradigm in cancer research is in the following statement: “cancer is a disease of cells, and the phenotypes of cancer cells can be understood by examining the genes and proteins within them”. Correspondently one of the main problems scientists trying to address is how many intracellular regulatory circuits need to be perturbed in order to transform a normal human cell into a cancer cell?
Therefore, not only cancer research but any other pathology investigation will stop there. The question is whether it's good enough or not. It is perfectly fine if life exists due to a lucky coincident of random events. But what if life as we know it is a specific form of a universal algorithm expressed and evolving at given physical conditions here and now? We often speak in terms of mutations, genetic defects, DNA code. Well, behind every code must be an algorithm and behind any algorithm must be mathematics. If it is true, then the knowledge of it could be a precondition for successful control/correction of any life form.
There are 200 different types of cells in human body. Let us imagine that in each cell we select the same chromosome and purposely damage it. It may lead to the development of the disease in different cells, tissues, organs having different symptoms and even named differently, all due to one single type of damage given said damage is “essential”. So, what defines the severity of the damage? There is a big variety of known pathogens including bacteria, viruses, chemicals, radiation etc. Irreversible damage may happen without a pathogen as well, such as mutation in the process of mitosis. At the same time, most of the mistakes during cell division are immediately repaired.
Infection diseases are sometimes defeated by immune system without irreversible changes in the organism. What may go wrong and where? Which change has a potential to become a fatale one? What is the first, elementary step of pathological change caused by any pathogen without exception? Life scientists would start answering with the reference to processes in the cells. However, it is the wrong level.
The fact is that we can completely ignore any pathogens as long as not a single chemical bond in the organism is damaged. It means that the interaction between pathogen and organism did not take place. When it does, a lot depends on the type of chemical bond that was destroyed and what have happened in the result. A lot of heavy smokers and alcohol consumers do not get cancer, but some of those with healthy life style are less lucky. Why? We need to understand that if damages caused by pathogens were limited to a certain level of chemical bond, then they would be repaired by internal mechanisms the same way as reparation of mistakes during mitosis happens.
The shocking truth is that damage sometime goes deeper than chemical bonds level—to the nucleus. Once it happens, there is no way back, and change becomes irreversible contributing to the unavoidable finale whether it is about illness or aging. Any efforts to change the situation on the level above the atom will be fruitless and in the best case capable to address just symptoms of diseases.
It is not enough to think in terms of homeostasis. It is essential to understand that homeostasis starts from elementary particles and goes up to the levels higher than individual mind or intellect and not limited by the currently agreed borders of life science. Inability of human (and all animals in general) as a stable system to control changes on atomic level allows to suggest that animals including humans were originated in the different and in a certain aspect artificial or selective environment. The one where damage of chemical bonds would never lead to the changes on atomic or sub-atomic levels and as a result the original hierarchical structure would never be jeopardized.
The incidence of cancer continues to climb as the general population ages, as new cancers develop, and as susceptible populations (e.g., people infected with AIDS or excessively exposed to sunlight) grow. A tremendous demand therefore exists for new methods and compositions that can be used to treat patients with cancer.